1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system, image forming apparatus, and image forming method for reading an image to acquire image data, and a storage medium storing a program thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, cooperative performance of processing by an image forming apparatus and an external apparatus such as a PC has been used widely. The overall function cannot be achieved by a single image forming apparatus.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-186677 discloses an image forming apparatus using a pseudo push scan function. This function can simplify the arrangement of the image forming apparatus, providing the apparatus at low cost. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-186677, the user selects a host PC name and PC-side scan parameter set (to be referred to as a profile) he wants from choices representing host PC names and profiles displayed on the panel of the image forming apparatus. The user then transmits scanned image data to the host PC. The host PC performs image processing for the received image data based on an image processing method designated by a pull scan driver, and stores the resultant image data in a predetermined storage destination.
In addition to this pseudo push scan function, even an extended copy function is implemented by cooperation between an image forming apparatus and an external apparatus such as a host PC, similar to the pseudo push scan function.
For the pseudo push scan function, a profile displayed on the panel of the image forming apparatus is selected by pressing an OK key. The image forming apparatus transmits a profile number corresponding to the selected profile to the external apparatus using a dedicated protocol. The external apparatus transmits a scan execution instruction to the image forming apparatus based on profile settings corresponding to the received profile number. This method allows the user to select a profile while checking a mode setting (color/monochrome (black and white)) displayed on the panel of the image forming apparatus, and execute scanning in the mode setting of his choice.
However, although the panel displays mode settings to the user, information transmitted to the external apparatus after pressing the OK key is only a profile number. The mode setting is therefore determined by the external apparatus. The user has to make a selection based on only mode settings displayed on the panel of the image forming apparatus. A dedicated driver capable of setting a profile has been installed in the external apparatus. If the external apparatus changes the mode setting when not intended by the user, the output result that the user wants cannot be obtained. Even for the extended copy function, when a driver similar to that for the pseudo push scan function is used, the same problem arises because execution of a job starts with the same operation procedures.
For example, in some configurations, a plurality of parameters set in the driver of the external apparatus are assigned as a parameter set to a key on the image forming apparatus, and image reading or facsimile transmission is done in response to pressing the key. The parameter set includes the document size, resolution, color/black and white/gray scale, scan region, luminance, contrast, and destination. By pressing the key, scanning is executed with the desired settings. However, even if a parameter set can be registered to a key on the image forming apparatus, the setting of the parameter set cannot be changed on the image forming apparatus side, so the above-mentioned problem cannot be solved.